Weeks after the Jammu and Kashmir delimitation commission signed the final order for the delimitation of the union territory, the Central government announced that the orders will come into effect .
“In exercise of the powers conferred by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Central Government appoints May 20, 2022, as the date on which the orders of the Delimitation Commission shall take effect,” read the Gazette Notification.
The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir had recommended 43 Assembly seats for Jammu division and 47 seats for the Kashmir region.
In a first, nine Assembly constituencies have been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, out of which, six are in Jammu region and three in Kashmir.
As per the final delimitation order, out of the 90 Assembly constituencies in the region, 43 will be part of Jammu region and 47 for Kashmir region, keeping in view the provisions of Section 9(1)(a) of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and Section 60(2)(b) of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the order said.
The six new Assembly constituencies in the Jammu region are expected to be carved out from Rajouri, Doda, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Kathua and Samba districts.
The one new seat for the Kashmir Valley would reportedly be carved out from the Kupwara district.
As of now there are 46 seats in Kashmir region and 37 seats are in Jammu division.
The Delimitation Commission has also recommended two nominated members, including one female, from the Kashmiri migrant community to the Assembly on the lines of the Puducherry Assembly.
J&K political parties have been critical of the entire exercise.
Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) called the delimitation exercise an extension of the process started on August 5, 2019 to disempower people from a particular community and a region.
The final draft has proved our fears right again, it said and alleged that the Centre has used or misused independent institutions to turn the electoral majority into a minority by using geography, and access as a ruse.
